People sometimes ask Linda Kekelis why she wants resources devoted to helping girls get involved with science, technology, engineering and mathâ€”STEM. Girls would do it if they were interested in it, they say.

Thatâ€™s why, in 1999, she started Techbridge, a nonprofit that provides hands-on learning programs mostly for girls in underserved schools to foster their interest in STEM fields. This year, Techbridge has about 400 students in fifth grade through high school in its after-school programs, which it operates at 14 schools throughout Oakland, San Lorenzo and San Jose.

With funding from sponsors that include the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, Chevron, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the National Science Foundation, among many others, Kekelis and her team at Techbridge are also trying to expand their reach beyond the schools they work with directly. Techbridge works with 17 Girl Scout councils throughout the country, providing them with program kits that include materials and curriculum for their STEM-related activities. It provides resources including information guides to families to encourage their children in STEM and professional development for after-school staff in Oakland.

And a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation will allow Techbridge to scale up to three new cities around the country, helping Kekelis and her team make Techbridge a leader in the global conversation about women in STEM. Her ultimate goal for Techbridge, she said, is to â€œbe the national center for promoting STEM girls.â€ Techbridge will roll out an after-school program first in Seattle in fall 2014; the other two cities will be determined later.

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